Israel To Ease Import Restrictions for Global Retail Chains

The Israeli government announced on Tuesday a plan to relax import restrictions for large global retail companies in the country. The move is intended to encourage the entry of large retail chains into Israel, which could help to boost competition, reduce living costs, and advance innovation in the sector, according to the Economy and Industry Ministry.

Foreign chains currently face various difficulties when entering the Israeli market, including the need to submit standard declarations for each shipment and other bureaucratic delays. Under the new reform, large global chains will just need to declare that their products meet international standards, rather than undergo regular import inspections, as long as the products are also offered in other countries.

The reform has already attracted attention from global supermarket giants such as Carrefour and SPAR, which have announced plans to open their first stores in Israel.